continued

As was customary a quarter of a century ago, the records show that the pastor was frequently assisted in the communion services by a brother pastor, and at many of these services there were accessions to the church. 

Bethany has not produced many preacher boys but she is not altogether barren in this respect.  Rev. C. R. Zahniser is one of her sons as is also Mr. Plummer Osborne, who is now taking a course in Princeton Theological Seminary.

If the number of preachers from this church is not large, the teachers are many and there are some ten or twelve members of the church at present who have been teachers.

In some respects Bethany is perhaps above the average country church.  It sustains a midweek prayer meeting, has a good Sunday school with teachers meeting, Home Department and Cradle Roll, and normal class.  There is a Woman's Missionary Society of fifteen members.  A good Christian Endeavor Society.   All of these organizations are doing good work.

As this is altogether a farming district, many of our best boys and girls, when old enough to start out in life for themselves, go elsewhere in order that they may have opportunities for developing their talents along lines that would be impossible here.  Thus we are constantly sending out many good men and women but there are few coming our way to fill up the ranks except as they grow up in our midst.  But we work through those whom we send out and thus our field of usefulness is enlarged.

Bethany is one of the Pennsylvania churches that tries to help in larger work of the church.  Not one of the enterprises has been forgotten during the last four years.

We know not what may be our future but God has always cared for his church and he will still care for us if we are part of that church.

"What is a church?  Let truth and reason speak, 

They would reply, The faithful, pure and meek

From Christian Folds- - the one selected place

Of all professions, and of every race."

(Source: The Fieldview, published monthly in the interest of the work of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, Vol. III, No. 6, Brownsville, PA, June 1905)

Submitted by Norris Burdette.